The disclosure relates to the field of specialty chemicals and methods for their synthesis. In embodiments, the disclosure provides viable bacterial cells which comprise heterologous dual 3-hydroxy-acyl-ACP dehydratase/isomerases, etc. The disclosure further provides monounsaturated fatty acid derivative molecules produced by the viable bacterial cells which are non-native to the bacterial cells. The disclosure further provides methods for the preparation and production of non-native monounsaturated fatty acid derivative molecules such as e.g., an 3-monounsaturated fatty acid derivative, an 5-monounsaturated fatty acid derivative, an 9-monounsaturated fatty acid derivative, an 11-monounsaturated fatty acid fatty acid derivative, etc.

Recombinant DNA techniques are used to produce oleaginous recombinant cells that produce triglyceride oils having desired fatty acid profiles and regiospecific or stereospecific profiles. Genes manipulated include those encoding stearoyl-ACP desturase, delta 12 fatty acid desaturase, acyl-ACP thioesterase, ketoacyl-ACP synthase, and lysophosphatidic acid acyltransferase. The oil produced can have enhanced oxidative or thermal stability, or can be useful as a frying oil, shortening, roll-in shortening, tempering fat, cocoa butter replacement, as a lubricant, or as a feedstock for various chemical processes. The fatty acid profile can be enriched in midchain profiles or the oil can be enriched in triglycerides of the saturated-unsatturated-saturated type.

Recombinant microorganisms are provided which have been engineered to produce fatty alcohols. Also provided are recombinant microorganisms which comprise a heterologous polynucleotide encoding a fatty alcohol reductase enzyme and an introduced polynucleotide encoding a -ketoacyl acyl carrier protein synthase.

The present disclosure relates to engineered zinc finger proteins that target genes in plants involved in fatty acid biosynthesis. Methods of using such zinc finger proteins in modulating gene expression, gene inactivation, and targeted gene modification are also provided.

[Problems] To provide a method of producing a medium chain fatty acid or a lipid containing this fatty acid as a component by using a -ketoacyl-ACP synthase, and a gene, a protein and a transformant for use in this method.

[Means to solve] A method of producing a medium chain fatty acid or a lipid containing this fatty acid as a component, containing the steps of: introducing a gene encoding the following protein (A) or (B) into a host, and thereby obtaining a transformant, and collecting a medium chain fatty acid or a lipid containing this fatty acid as a component from the resulting transformant; and a gene, a protein and a transformant for use in this method:
(A) A protein consisting of the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 1; and
(B) A protein consisting of an amino acid sequence having 90% or more identity with the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 1, and having medium chain acyl-ACP-specific -ketoacyl-ACP synthase activity.

The present invention is directed to isolated nucleic acid molecules and polypeptides of thraustochytrid polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) synthases involved in the production of PUFAs, including PUFAs enriched in docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), or a combination thereof. The present invention is directed to vectors and host cells comprising the nucleic acid molecules, polypeptides encoded by the nucleic acid molecules, compositions comprising the nucleic acid molecules or polypeptides, and methods of making and uses thereof.

An object of the present invention is to provide a microorganism that efficiently produces a PUFA and a method for producing a PUFA using the microorganism. The present invention relates to a microorganism capable of producing a polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA), in which a gene encoding an exogenous polyketide synthase dehydratase (PS-DH) domain having a higher activity against 3-hydroxyhexanoyl acyl carrier protein (3-hydroxyhexanoyl ACP) than an endogenous FabA-like -hydroxyacyl-ACP dehydratase (FabA-DH) domain has been introduced into a microorganism having a PUFA metabolic pathway, and the like.

Provided is a method for synthesizing a flavonoid compound. The method comprises providing a recombinant prokaryotic cell, wherein, in the prokaryotic cell, the transmembrane protein rhodanese Ygap of Escherichia coli is up-regulated or a target gene or target gene combination selected from the following groups is down-regulated: pyrB, accC, accB, purC, glyA, tktA, fabB, leuD, leuC, glpC, folK and leuA. Also provided are a prokaryotic cell for synthesizing a flavonoid compound and the use thereof, and the use of a kit and a regulation and control reagent. The present disclosure achieves significant improvement in the yield of the flavonoid compound.

A method of producing a lipid, containing the following steps (1) and (2); and a transformant obtained by introducing a gene encoding the following protein (a) or (b) into a host: (1) introducing a gene encoding the following protein (a) or (b) into a host, and thereby obtaining a transformant, and (2) collecting a lipid from the resulting transformant:
(a) A protein consisting of an amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 1; and
(b) A protein consisting of an amino acid sequence having 60% or more identity with the amino acid sequence of the protein (a), and having -ketoacyl-ACP synthase activity.

Recombinant DNA techniques are used to produce oleaginous recombinant cells that produce triglyceride oils having desired fatty acid profiles and regiospecific or stereospecific profiles. Genes manipulated include those encoding stearoyl-ACP desturase, delta 12 fatty acid desaturase, acyl-ACP thioesterase, ketoacyl-ACP synthase, and lysophosphatidic acid acyltransferase. The oil produced can have enhanced oxidative or thermal stability, or can be useful as a frying oil, shortening, roll-in shortening, tempering fat, cocoa butter replacement, as a lubricant, or as a feedstock for various chemical processes. The fatty acid profile can be enriched in midchain profiles or the oil can be enriched in triglycerides of the saturated-unsaturated-saturated type.